CLUE
by Jemlela
Summary: CGIS Abby B asks Team Gibbs to help her find a missing Coast Guard Petty Officer. When she isn't the only one who had disappeared. All the missing women have one thing in common. PLEASE READ AND REVIEW.
1. A Missing Woman

_**AN: This story will have Abby Bolin in it; so she doesn't get confused with Abby Scuito. Abby Bolin will be referred to as Abby B.**_

* * *

><p>Gibbs, Ziva and Tim are quietly going over cold cases. They can't believe how quiet it is when Tony isn't here. You would think that they would get used to it by now; especially after he was Agent Afloat. But it always seems like they are walking on eggshells when Tony isn't there.<p>

CGIS Special Agent Abigail Borin walks into the bullpen. She looked around and saw someone is missing.

"Where is DiNozzo?" She asks Gibbs.

"Bethesda, for probably about another hour and then he will be in."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes, he is having a check-up. Ducky is with him; otherwise he would try to talk his way out of his check-ups. What is going on?"

"I have a case for you; a missing person. She works for the Coast Guard; not on my team, but she is my friend. I know I am too close to this to objective, so I thought we could work it together. I will go through Director Vance, if it makes you feel better." Abby B offers.

"Not necessary. We are only doing cold cases; so not a problem. Did you bring her file?"

Abby B hands the thumb drive to McGee. He loads the file and puts it up on the plasma. Coast Guard Petty Officer Dinah Mallory. Around her neck was a diamond necklace of the letter D with a cursive L behind it, coming from each side of the letters are wings.

Abby comes up the stairs and first thing she notice is the necklace on the woman up on the plasma.

"What a cool necklace. I have never seen anything like it."

Abby B looks at the necklace in a way she has never done before. "Yeah it does look unique; I have never seen Dinah without the necklace on. Can you find where it was made?"

"Do we have the actual necklace?" Abby asks.

"No, Dinah is missing. The necklace should still be around her neck."

"McGee, send me the picture and I will see what I can do." Abby responds as she heads back to the lab.

* * *

><p>Everyone is currently working on a way to find Dinah Mallory. Abby B is using the spare desk and computer next to McGee. Tony walks in and sees the picture on the plasma and is shock to see the necklace.<p>

"What is going on?" He asks.

"First things first; what did Brad say?" Gibbs responds.

"Why do you even bother to ask me when you are only going to ask Ducky anyway?" Tony whines.

"Because, one day I am hoping that you will actually tell me the truth so I won't have to ask Ducky."

Tony rolls his eyes as he sits at his desk still staring at the necklace on the plasma.

"Who is she?"

"Missing Coast Guard Petty Officer." Abby B answers.

"And her husband?"

"She isn't married."

"Maybe not now, but before." Tony argued.

"Dinah has never been married." Abby B counters.

Tony says nothing as he looks at his computer trying to find the marriage certificate or Dinah. Nothing.

* * *

><p>Gibbs and Abby B walk into Abby's lab after making a quick stop in autopsy for a private talk with Duck about Tony's appointment. Abby B had waited at the entrance.<p>

"So Abbs, what do you got?" Gibbs asks.

"Nothing. Can't find anything on the necklace or even when Dinah had bought it. Maybe she had it custom made; but I can't find any jeweler with that type of talent.

* * *

><p>"So Tony what have you found." Ziva asks<p>

"I can't find anything on her marriage; maybe she changed her name." Tony answers.

"She was never married. I cannot believe that you wasted all this space for nothing."

"It would be wasted all this time and she has a point. Can't you just accept that you are wrong" McGee corrected.

Tony gets up from his computer and heads towards the elevator.

"Where are you going?" McGee calls after.

"Home." Tony answers back as he gets in.

* * *

><p>Gibbs and Abby B walk back into the bullpen.<p>

"Where is DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked.

"He left. He was still so sure that Dinah had been married. We asked him why he can't face that he his wrong and he left." McGee explains.

"It's okay that he left. Ducky said that the test went bad and that Brad wants him to rest before his chest cold turns into full pneumonia. I am going to go check on him. Call me if you find something."

"I'll come with you. I'd also like to know why he is so hell bent on believing Dinah had been married before." Abby B offers.

* * *

><p>Gibbs and Abby B arrive at Tony's apartment building. They are just about to head up when Gibbs phone rings.<p>

"_Boss 3 more women wearing that exact same necklace has gone missing in the past few months." McGee informs._

Gibbs relays the message to Abby B.

"So we have 4 women; all who have the same unique necklace, are missing. So where do we go from here." Abby B asks.

"We check on DiNozzo and then go from there."

Gibbs knocks on Tony's door. Tony immediately answers very pale.

"Gee and here I thought you would be the delivery guy with the pizza ordered." Tony teases.

Gibbs rolls his eyes as Tony steps aside to let them in.

"I don't have any coffee, but I just made some tea." Tony offers.

"Tea is fine." Abby B answers

"I'll get it." Gibbs speaks up and goes into the kitchen with Tony.

Abby B stares at the coffee table and the magazines. She picks one up and is very shocked to see what is under the magazine; the diamond necklace that all the victims who had disappeared were wearing.


	2. Necklace

Tony sits at his kitchen table while Gibbs poor him some hot tea.

"So how are you feeling?" Gibbs asks.

"I'm fine."

"Tony" Gibbs warns.

"Boss, I've had worse; like the plague."

"Yeah, that was bad. But you shouldn't compare any illness to that time. Any illness is serious and you know it."

Before Tony can respond Abby B rushes into the kitchen with her fist closed. "You want to explain this Special Agent DiNozzo?" She opens her hand and lets the necklace dangle down.

Gibbs is surprise to see the same necklace that their missing victims had been wearing when they disappeared in his agents' apartment.

Tony reaches his hand out and grabs the necklace from Abby B.

"Where did you get that?" Tony growls and begins coughing.

"It was under a magazine on your coffee table. A unique necklace that is the only thing in common with 4 missing women and you have one; mind telling me where you got it." Abby B asks back.

Tony begins to cough uncontrollably. Gibbs grabs Tony's cough syrup off his microwave.

"Here drink this."

"That will knock me out." Tony gasps out between coughs.

"Good, you need the rest."

Tony gulps the syrup down making funny faces as he swallows it. Gibbs hands him a glass of water to wash down the horrible taste. After Tony puts the empty glass in the sink; Gibbs leads him to his bedroom and helps him into bed. Tony brings his hand that is holding the necklace to his chest and closes his eyes. Gibbs watches as he fell asleep and then he continues to watch; never seeing Tony sleep like this.

"He looks so peaceful and relaxed." Gibbs comments to himself but Abby B hears him.

"Of course he does; you gave him cough syrup with codeine."

"I have seen Tony sleeping when he is sick and injured. I have also seen him sleeping in the bullpen. He is never this relaxed. The way he usually sleeps is as if he has the weight of the world on his shoulders."

"Why did you give him something to make him sleep? He may be the only one with answers considering he has the same necklace." Abby B points out.

"The case will still be there in a couple of hours when he wakes up."

"The case-" Abby B argues.

"It isn't more important than Tony's health. For years I have been trying to get Tony to understand that he needs to put his health and wellbeing above anything else. He won't rest unless I force him to. I am not going to let him think that it is okay to risk his health for more important things like a case. Because if I do it now; he won't stop. There will always be cases but if he keeps risking his health he won't always be here."

"I just want to find Dinah." Abby B admits.

"We will find her but we don't even know if she is still alive. We work under the assumption that she is and that we will do all we can to find her. But if Tony is going to be any use to us he needs his rest."

* * *

><p>Gibbs orders Chinese food and wor wonton soup for Tony. Abby B checks in on Tony and finds him still sleeping peacefully with the necklace in his grip close to his chest. A part of her wishes he will wake up already and give them answers but the other part wants to continue to let him sleep as he is still so pale.<p>

"Come on, let him sleep. He will be up soon enough. The food is here." Gibbs says as he leads Abby B away from the bedroom.

"I heard a rumor that Tony had the plague." Abby B asks.

"He did about 7 years ago. It almost killed him. He survived but it did serious damage to his lungs and this cold weather we have been having lately isn't helping him at all. It is probably the reason for his chest cold."

* * *

><p>Gibbs and Abby B continue to eat in silence. Tony walks into the room still clutching the necklace.<p>

"Sit. I ordered you some soup. Eat" Gibbs order as he places the container of soup in front of Tony.

Abby B waits until Tony finishes his soup before bringing up the necklace.

"Please tell us about the necklace."

Tony didn't want to be having this conversation ever. But he knew he had to. The necklace is an important piece of their case and 4 women are missing. But he didn't want to have to look at them as he explains so he stands up and walks over to the sink and began to speak in a monotone voice.

"It belonged to my mother. She died just after I turned 8. She wore the necklace all the time; the only time she would ever take it off was when she showered. That was until she got sick; the doctors wouldn't let her wear it during chemotherapy. One day she took it off before her chemo appointment and handed me the necklace. 'Put it someplace safe' she had said. That day when she came home she crawled into a bottle of booze and never came out. She died soon after."

"She wasn't even gone 3 weeks before my father married again. He shipped me off to boarding school while he went on an extended honeymoon in Italy. When I came home for summer and met my new stepmother she was wearing a necklace identical to my moms. I would have thought that it was my moms' necklace if it hadn't been with me at boarding school. I took the necklace with me to boarding schools, to summer camps, to military school, to college and even to all three precincts and finally to NCIS."

"Where did the necklace come from? It is so unique that Abby can't find out who makes it." Abby B question.

Tony turns around to face them as he answers."She should try Italian jeweler in Italy. It is the DiNozzo Italian Family Crest."


	3. Family History

Abby B and Gibbs couldn't believe what they were hearing.

"Your family crest?" Abby B states.

"The only way Dinah Mallory or whatever her name is to have that necklace is because she had been married to my father, Anthony DiNozzo Senior. After the divorce she probably had a name change and some plastic surgery trying to get rid of any evidence that she married him but she didn't get rid of the one piece of evidence that clinches it. But then again it is probably hard to get rid of a necklace that is worth thousands of dollars or at least thousands of Euros since the necklace is made in Italy." Tony answers.

"How many women are we talking about? 4 women with that necklace are already missing." Abby B asks.

"I don't know."

"He is your father."

"That doesn't mean much. By the time I got sent to Military school he had just started his 5th marriage. He went to Hawaii just days after his divorce to wife number 4. He brought me with him. He was in the terminal on his way to boarding the plane to Italy for his honeymoon when the credit card company called. I haven't had any contact with him since."

Gibbs could see that this was getting to be too much for Tony and he is still sick.

"Tony, you have given us enough information to work with; I want you to go back and take another nap after you wake up you will stay at my place until you are better."

Tony nods and picks the necklace up to take it with him as he walks backs to his room.

"What did Tony mean about the credit card company?" Abby B asks.

"Tony has always said in a joking matter that his father left him in a hotel in Maui for 2 days. That the only reason his father knew where he was; was because the credit card company called him after receiving the hotel bill."

Abby B couldn't believe this; what type of father leaves his child in a hotel room and forgets about him. She wonders about something.

"Gibbs; I have a question I have to ask. Was Tony abused by his father, physically?"

Gibbs really hates being asked that question. He never knows what he should say and he knows he shouldn't say anything.

"You have to ask him about that." He answers.

* * *

><p>Abby B walks to Tony's room to observe him sleeping still clutching his mother's necklace. The writing is on the wall; she can see that. She may never have confirmation but that is okay. Gibbs comes up behind her and leads her away from Tony's room.<p>

"I have my answer." Abby B comments sadly.

Gibbs doesn't answer. He wishes he could get Tony to really talk to him; but he won't. All he ever says are cryptic comments that all adds up to one very bleak picture. He pulls out his cell phone to call the team and let them know what he found out.

"_McGee."_

"McGee put me on a speaker phone. I also need to speak with Abby."

"_I am here." Abby adds._

"The necklace was made by an Italian jeweler in Italy. Find out who and how many necklaces are out there."

"_Yes Bossman."_

"It turns out that Tony was right about Dinah being married before. McGee, try to find out who Dinah Mallory was before she joined the Coast Guard. Trace her back as far as you can go. Ziva, I want you to find out exactly how many times Anthony DiNozzo Senior was married. It turns out that the necklace is a wedding present from Senior.

"_Doesn't Tony know how many times his dad was married?" Ziva wonders._

"He doesn't know. They have been estranged for a long time. Call me with what you find out. I will be at my house later and Tony will be staying with me while he is sick."

Gibbs hangs up the phone and goes to check on Tony. He finds him still sleeping peacefully and still clutching the necklace like his life depends on it. Gibbs sits on the edge of the bed just watching him sleep.

* * *

><p>Tony wakes up and walks to his kitchen to find Gibbs and Abby B drinking coffee. Gibbs sees him and gets up to pour him some hot water for tea. Abby B can see that the necklace is still in Tony's hand.<p>

"Why do you clutch the necklace so tight?" Abby B asks.

Tony opens his hand slowly to stare at the object in it.

Gibbs watches his agent carefully. He looks so lost starring at the necklace.

"Hey DiNozzo; it is okay."

Tony didn't respond. Gibbs and Abby B are concerned; it seems as if he is in shock

"The necklace and a few pictures is all I have left of my mother. The necklace reminds me that somebody had once loved me; even if nobody does anymore." Tony finally responds after several minutes of silence.

"Tony, that isn't true. The team loves you; Abby adores you. Ducky thinks of you as a grandson. He was so thrilled when the autopsy he was doing had revealed that the victim we thought was you, never had the plague. I love you; you are the son I never had. Don't think for a minute that you are alone in this world." Gibbs orders as he put his hands on Tony's shoulders.

Abby B just watches sadly at the picture in front of her.

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><p><em><strong>Today is my Birthday and the best present I could receive would be Reviews<strong>_


	4. A  Lot of Wives

_**AN: I am not sure how old Tony is; but for this story he is 38.**_

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><p>Gibbs knows that he needs to take Tony to work with him when he goes back. Tony needs to stay distracted or this situation is going to eat at him and push him into withdrawal.<p>

"Come on Tony; let's go back to my house." Gibbs announces.

Tony just stands there gripping the necklace for a few minutes; but finally he gets ready to leave. He puts the necklace back in its holder and slips it into his pocket. Gibbs helped him put on his heavy jacket and scarf. Tony wraps the scarf around his mouth to help him not to breathe in the cold air. The rest of his things are already at Gibbs considering how often he stays there.

"Tony, I know you feel really alone right now; but you are not alone. You have a lot of people who care for you all you have to do is let them and put your trust in them. They won't betray the trust you put in them." Abby B points out. She has seen how close the team is; they will be there for him.

Tony nods and follows Gibbs out of his apartment.

* * *

><p>The next morning<p>

Gibbs is drinking his coffee; extra bold. He usually drinks bold; but if he is going to get through the day, he needs the extra caffeine. Tony comes down quietly but alert. Gibbs offers him hot tea to soothe his throat from all the coughing he has been doing. Ever since Tony had the plague; illness hits him harder than he is willing to admit.

* * *

><p>Gibbs arrives at work with Tony trailing behind him. Tony goes to sit at his desk and starts working. These women are counting on him to find them. They were all married to his father. It makes him wonder just how many times his father had been married. Tony pulls the necklace out of his jacket pocket and opens its case. He stares at the necklace wishing its owner was still around. Maybe if she had divorced his father before she got sick; he could have a better life. But there is no point in wishing what could have been.<p>

Abby B enters the bullpen to see Tony with the necklace again. Every time she sees him staring at the necklace, it breaks her heart. The pain in his eyes last night was something she had never seen before. It is bad enough knowing that child abuse happens; it is so much worse when you personally know the victim. Gibbs motions Abby B away from Tony's desk.

"You look exhausted; I guess you didn't sleep very well." Abby B comments.

"I spent the whole night watching Tony sleep; listening to him breathing and coughing. Tony slept through the whole thing unaware of his coughing attacks. He just laid on his side grasping the necklace."

Abby, Ziva and Tim enter the bullpen. Abby is ecstatic that Tony is there and runs over to hug him before Gibbs could stop her. She sees the necklace sitting on Tony's desk.

"Is that _**the**_ necklace? WOW! It is as beautiful in person as the pictures of it. May I see it please?" Abby asks him.

Tony allows her to pick the necklace up, watching her carefully. He doesn't like it when someone holds the necklace. He thinks that it will disappear and with it the memories he has of his mother. He used to be able to remember her without the help of the necklace; but as he got older it got harder to remember her. Now the only time he can remember his mother is through her necklace.

"Okay, you have seen the necklace; now give it back." Tony orders grabbing it back.

"Abby, did you find anything on the necklace?" Gibbs asks.

"It was a specialty item done on the side for Anthony DiNozzo. The first time it was done was 38 years ago. The jeweler was given a picture of what Anthony had wanted the necklace to look like. He came back 8 years later wanting another necklace. In the past 30 years he has requested 15 necklaces." Abby explains to the group.

Tony stares down at the necklace silently listening to Abby explanation. His father has been married 15 times since his mother.

"Does that mean there could be 15 women with that necklace that could be missing?" Abby B asks.

"I have found 5 of the women who had been married to him. They are remarried. I spoke to them; they don't wear the necklace anymore. They have all put it in a safe place." McGee informs.

"The other 10 women had changed their name after the divorce was final. Still trying to find them." Ziva adds.

Abby, Tim and Ziva all look at each other and then at their friend who won't look at them. They don't like talking about Tony's father like a key factor in their case; but he is. They just hope that their friend will be okay when this whole mess is over.


End file.
